For Parents

As a mother or father-to-be, you are wisely taking this time to carefully prepare for the birth of your child. You may already have found that most approaches to childbirth and parenting preparation focus primarily on the physical aspects of birth: the phases of labor, possible medical interventions and their indications, how to bathe, feed and care for your baby. These topics are certainly important, topics which most new parents are eager to learn about. At the same time, as most experienced parents will tell you, birth is not simply about the physical aspects, it is not merely about choosing a cesarean birth or birth supported by epidural or to birth as intervention-free as possible. Parenting is not simply about washing and feeding your baby and getting him or her to sleep. There are many internal factors also at play in birth and in parenting, which often are overlooked by caregivers, family and friends, to the detriment of new parents.
There is a highly instinctual aspect to labor, as seen when a woman goes deeply into “Laborland”, leaving behind her normal, everyday persona, and moving with her body in labor. She somehow just “knows” when to move and when to rest, when to drink and when to eat, when to listen to others and when to listen to herself. It is this instinctive mind which people are talking about when they say “just let go, your body knows what to do”, as advice to women preparing for birth.
There is also a highly personal aspect to labor. The beliefs, hopes, fears, wishes and expectations that each couple bring to labor are different—both from one another and from any other couple—and these beliefs affect the process of birth and parenting tremendously, even to the extent of interfering with the instincts which many mothers may be depending on to kick in during labor and breastfeeding.
A truly wholistic approach to childbirth preparation includes exploration of the instinctual and personal aspects of labor in addition to informational prepration about physiology and medical culture. İçsel Doğum doulas and childbirth mentors strive to provide the families they work with a truly wholistic approach to childbirth and parenting.
On this site you can find both certified and trainee doulas and childbirth mentors. We recommend that you contact several doulas or mentors to find the best fit for you.

Doulas and Mentors in Training

Please keep in mind that working with trainee doulas and / or childbirth mentors is a reciprocal relationship. You will be benefitting from having a trained, caring, present person supporting you, and you in turn will be providing her with the valuable experiences necessary for her to complete her certification. We ask that you respect this relationship as you would one in which a regular fee is charged. Your trainee doula or mentor will be arranging her time and other obligations in order to be of service to you, regardless of what fee she receives. Doulas and mentors in training are permitted to charge up to 300TL for their services in order cover costs incurred during their work with you. The final financial arrangements are between you and your doula.
Should you have cause for complaint with a certified or trainee doula or mentor, please do not hesitate to contact İçsel Doğum (link to contact form) directly. We take grievances very seriously.
If you have cause to sing the praises of you doula or mentor, we would be very happy to listen (link to contact form)!